Propel Constitution Statement Has Been Adapted for the Party and Is As Follows: Adopted 16Th December 2019 the Propel Statement Names, Purpose, Objectives
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activists in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales on the 29th of September 2018. The Propel Constitution statement has been adapted for the Party and is as follows: Adopted 16th December 2019 The Propel Statement Names, purpose, objectives and values 2. In this time of great change, it is the responsibility of Welsh people to state our Clause 1 principles. Name 3. We, as members of Propel, believe in the following: 1. This is the constitution of a political party which will be known as ‘Propel’ (referred to 4. Individual sovereignty must be protected. as ‘the Party’ in this constitution). Natural justice, due process and free speech should be at the heart of Welsh life. Clause 2 The rights and freedoms of the individual Purpose and the protection of minorities must be enshrined in a Welsh constitution and bill of rights. 1. The Party’s purpose will be to maintain and organise a political Propel in order to seek 5. As Welsh people we have come together to election and govern at every level of live in communities. As such, community government in which the party competes, sovereignty and the right of communities to including Community, Local Authority, influence decisions must be respected. Police and Crime Commissioner, Senedd, Major changes to our communities, Westminster and European elections. particularly with regard to planning and development, should not be imposed Clause 3 centrally and should be ratified through Aims and Objectives democratic, local referenda. Decentralisation of decision making to community level must be a principle of 1. The objectives of the Party are to secure government. individual, community and national Welsh sovereignty. 6. All countries, no matter how big or small, can stand on their own two feet and be Clause 4 successful. But more than that, we have a Values duty and responsibility to govern our own country. National sovereignty should be the 1. The Party’s values are reflected in the overarching aim for our nation. Wales must Propel Statement, agreed by Propel be governed from Wales. Whilst sovereignty 1 can be shared, any sharing of national recognised as bridges that connect us and sovereignty, or actions that would lessen be known to all. national sovereignty, must be approved through national referenda. 11. Overall, Propel members believe we must deliver a united Wales that celebrates 7. Propel members believe a market economy diversity in a unifying way. We need to offers the most successful economic ensure that all people in Wales are arrangement in order to realise individual, respected, because no one can respect us community and national sovereignty. until we respect ourselves. We will judge However, while favouring a market our progress and strength on the unity we economy, Propel members believe in a just create.’ and fair market that serves the needs of Wales’ communities and environment. Clause 5 8. A fair market can only be achieved where Membership severe poverty is eliminated, corruption is tackled, nepotism is ended, corporate 1. The Party is a political party for the Welsh lobbyists are reined in, corporate money is nation, open to membership to all persons removed from politics, monopolies are over the age of 14 who share the Party’s broken up or mitigated against, where the objectives and values and who agree to be country does not overburden itself with bound by this constitution, in addition to any foreign debt, where there is a strong safety further rules passed by the Party, except for net for citizens and where all people have any persons who have been excluded from an equal opportunity to participate in the membership or are a member of another economy. political party that contests elections in Wales. 9. It is the duty of government to reach out to those who have been let down and left 2. A member shall be considered to be in behind by the current political ‘good standing’ in the following establishment. To create an inclusive circumstances: economy, where young people can realise their full potential without having to leave a. Their membership subscription is Wales, we must encourage up-to-date entrepreneurship and create the conditions b. They are not suspended or excluded for people to live sovereign lives. In order to from the Party provide meaningful employment a New Economy must be built by reindustrialising 3. Members shall be entitled to vote in such Wales for the 21st Century through internal Party elections and ballots as the sustainable infrastructure and technology. Board shall decide. 10. To create an inclusive country our national 4. Members must pay a membership fee as languages, history and culture should be the Board may determine. 2 may serve on the Committee for a period of Clause 6 up to 4 years and may be re-appointed for a further period of 3 years, at the discretion of Exclusion from membership the Board. The Committee shall be served by a secretary. 1. The Party Chairperson (or her or his Deputy) is entitled to refuse membership to 4. Each member of the Committee will either any person where she or he feels it would be sufficiently experienced and trained to not be in the interests of the Party to grant deal with such matters or the Party will membership. The Chairperson will notify the ensure they are provided with appropriate Party Board of any such decision and the training. Committee members are to act reason membership was not granted. independently, free of political influence or interference, ensuring due process and 2. Any person refused membership shall have natural justice at all times. the right to appeal, within 28 days of the refusal, by writing to the Party Board and 5. The Committee will elect a Chair and will outlining their case for membership. The notify the Board of the appointee. The Chair appeal will then be heard by the Party shall hold office for a period of up to 3 Board, whose decision will be final. years. The Chair may also be re-elected for a further period, the length of which should Clause 7 be determined by the Committee. Ethics and conduct 6. Matters will be passed for consideration to the Committee as a result of a written INTRODUCTION complaint to the Chair of the Ethics Committee. 1. The Party aims to ensure that it operates a fair and systematic procedure in order to 7. When such allegations are received, the maintain standards of behaviour among Chair of the Committee shall approach members. To that end, the following members of the Committee in order to scheme is in operation. appoint a panel comprising of no more than three of its members (the “Hearing Panel”), 2. This policy deals with matters relating to a to deal with the allegation(s) received. member’s behaviour and this policy and procedure applies to all members of the 8. If the Chair of the Committee is included in Party. the membership of the Hearing Panel, she or he shall be the Chair of the Hearing THE ETHICS COMMITTEE Panel. If the Chair of the Committee is not included in the membership of the Hearing Panel however, the Hearing Panel, after 3. The Party Board shall appoint an Ethics consultation with the Chair of the Committee (“the Committee”) comprising of Committee, will elect a Chair of the Hearing no fewer than six members. The members 3 Panel for the sole purpose of dealing with 12. The following is a list of conduct which may the complaint. give rise to disciplinary action. This list is not exhaustive and any other behaviour which, 9. The Committee may convene for in the reasonable opinion of the Party, discussions over email or remotely, or at amounts to misconduct or gross misconduct meetings for the purpose of selecting the may also give rise to disciplinary action. Hearing Panel, and the selection of These allegations may be treated either as members to comprise a Hearing Panel will misconduct or as gross misconduct, be done on the basis of availability, depending on their severity. expertise relevant to the case, and avoidance of possible conflicts of interest a. Actions or statements in conflict with the that might arise in a specific case. aims or core principles of the Party, as articulated in the Constitution; 10. Where for any reason the Committee is unable to convene a Hearing Panel from its b. Membership of an organisation existing members in a specific case, an contesting elections in opposition to alternative Hearing Panel member or Propel, or contesting such an election as members shall be selected on the basis of an individual; their expertise and their impartiality. The Committee and/or the Hearing Panel may c. Actions or statements damaging, or seek legal advice on how to handle the potentially damaging, the public procedure should such advice be deemed reputation of Propel; necessary. d. Failure to abide by any instructions or EXAMPLES OF guidance given as a result of previous disciplinary action; MISCONDUCT/GROSS MISCONDUCT e. Conduct in Propel meetings or against Propel members during 11. For the avoidance of doubt, conduct which Propel-organised events or in solely relates to disagreement over Party correspondence dealing with Propel policy shall not amount to conduct that is business which is intimidating, harassing likely to bring the Party into disrepute, or which causes distress or unless the disagreement is conducted in disillusionment among Propel members such a way as to purposely draw public and/or staff; attention to policy divisions. Furthermore, the conduct and discipline of elected f. In respect of elected representatives, Members of the Senedd, Westminster failure to abide by expected ethical Parliament or European Parliament shall at standards; all times remain within the remit of the Chief Whip, unless it is related to ethics and g.